Following talks, Russian Federation has for some time now failed to confirm its willingness to evacuate people from occupied town of Oleshky, - Lubinets
Russia has once again disregarded the principles of international humanitarian law and basic humanity in relation to the humanitarian disaster in the occupied town of Oleshky in the Kherson region.
This was reported by the Verkhovna Rada’s Human Rights Commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, according to Censor.NET.
There were agreements
According to Lubinets, agreements had been reached with the Russian side and clear procedures had been established. Separately, he secured the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross, which confirmed its readiness to take part in the evacuation of people in accordance with its mandate. A list of individuals to be evacuated from Oleshky was also agreed upon, and the necessary arrangements were made with the Security and Defence Forces to ensure a ceasefire during the humanitarian mission.
Furthermore, a few months ago, the Ombudsman informed a number of international organisations – including the UN and the ICRC headquarters in Geneva – about the critical situation in Oleshky. He called on international organisations to provide appropriate assistance to the people there in order to prevent mass deaths.
Russia has not confirmed the evacuation
"So what is happening at the moment? Following the negotiations, the Russian side has for some time now failed to confirm its readiness to carry out a humanitarian mission to evacuate people. However, our Office continues to gather and verify information, as well as to liaise with the ICRC, international organisations and the relevant Ukrainian state bodies. Furthermore, we continue to urge the Russian side to carry out the urgent evacuation of people who are effectively still in the grey zone," said Lubinets.
He emphasised that civilians are under daily threat from shelling and drone attacks, and are left without food, drinking water, medicines and other essential aid.
"These people need to be rescued. Because the city has turned into a death trap," he added.
The occupied Kherson region
Lubinec reported that he had received 176 enquiries regarding the humanitarian situation in the temporarily occupied territories of the Kherson region. A total of 358 people who urgently need assistance to leave these territories safely have already been verified. And these are only the ones the AM has managed to identify.
All in all, given the population of Oleshky and the district, there may still be over 6,000 people there, including around 200 children.
The ombudsman also said that people are already venturing into the minefields on their own, as they see no other way out of this hell.
"They risk being blown up by a landmine or being hit by a drone, but they’re going anyway, because staying in Oleshky is even worse for them," he added.
Humanitarian disaster in Oleshky
- At the end of March 2026, Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada’s Commissioner for Human Rights, appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Russian side regarding the humanitarian disaster in the occupied town of Oleshky in the Kherson region.
- It is known that around 2,000 civilians remain cut off from the outside world in the occupied town of Oleshky.
- The Regional Military Administration also reported that the bodies of the deceased have been left unburied for weeks, and that the logistics infrastructure has been completely destroyed – the occupied town of Oleshky in the Kherson region is under a complete humanitarian blockade.
- The International Committee of the Red Cross is trying to obtain information about the situation in the occupied town of Oleshky in the Kherson region.
- Ombudsman Lubinets stated that the residents of Oleshky are being prepared for evacuation.
